1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lever-type connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-214653 disclose a lever-type connector having first and second housings made of synthetic resin and configured to be fit together. The first housing has a hood, and a lever is supported rotatably on the outer surface of the hood. A cam groove is formed on the lever and a cam pin is provided on the outer surface of the second housing at a position corresponding to the cam groove. The lever is provided with a lock and a flexible locking arm is provided at the open end of the hood.
The second housing is fit in the hood so that the cam pin engages the entrance of the cam groove. The lever then is rotated. As a result, the housings are fit together due to the cam operation performed by the engagement between the cam pin and the cam groove. The lock and the locking arm are locked elastically together at the open end of the hood when the housings have been fit normally together. Thus, further rotation of the lever is prevented, and both housings are locked in a fit-in state. The locking arm and the lock can be unlocked from each other so that the lever can be rotated in the return direction to separate the housings.
An attempt can be made to rotate the lever in the return direction without completely unlocking the locking arm from the lock. In this situation, the open end of the hood may follow the rotation of the lever and may elastically deform in the return direction of the lever. Consequently, the operation of separating the connectors can be difficult for the operator and there is a fear that the hood will plastically deformed.
The invention has been completed in view of the above-described situation. Therefore it is an object of the invention to separate first and second connectors from each other efficiently and to prevent a hood from being deformed plastically.